Sniper22,
I've owned all three calibers at one time and killed deer with them. Savage 110 J Series/.308Win, Rem 700 Sendero/.300WinMag and 7mmRemMag. I currently own a Rem 700P in 7mmRM.
Forget the .308. After owning it and then a .300WinMag, the .308 is anemic at long range (400+). There are plenty of people who will probably argue the point but look at the ballistics of the three cartridges.
A few years back I was in the same situation as you are. I looked over the ballistics of the .300 and 7mag and decided that for what I needed (deer @ long range) the 7mag would do all I needed. It has never let me down.
After shooting it (7mag) for several years, I had the urge to try the .300Win and it is an awesome round. I was living in NC and those little deer just didn't need all that killin'. The .300 will kill deer as far as you can see them, if you hold it on 'em. So will the 7mag with a little less recoil. Not a lot of difference there unless you push the .300 using the 180gn pill or heavier. For my purposes, I shot the 165gn Ballistic Tips.
I killed a truck load of deer with the .300 and decided that it wasn't all that much better than the 7mag for deer. I got rid of it.
Bottom line, either will do the job - if you are up to it. You decide. JohnnyK.

__________________
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I have looked at the .300 RUM but my only hesitation with it is too much power at closer that 1000 yd distances, for instance 300 to 500 yds, where there is a possibility of ruining good meat because of too much power at that close of range. For example on javelina, whitetail deer, and even antelope- animals which aren't that big bodied. I am wondering whether a 200gr. or even 220gr. handloaded round in a .300 Magnum would still be able to provide the necesssary power up to 1000 yds, yet still be able to be used for closer shots and not cause damage to the meat.

I have looked at the .300 RUM but my only hesitation with it is too much power at closer that 1000 yd distances, for instance 300 to 500 yds, where there is a possibility of ruining good meat because of too much power at that close of range. For example on javelina, whitetail deer, and even antelope- animals which aren't that big bodied. I am wondering whether a 200gr. or even 220gr. handloaded round in a .300 Magnum would still be able to provide the necesssary power up to 1000 yds, yet still be able to be used for closer shots and not cause damage to the meat.

Always load different levels of " power " . The 300 winnie or the 7rem mag have sufficient energy at 1000 for elk . Run the ballistics numbers for a 190 gr. bullet with a .535 bc at 3070 fps . You can also get the 210 bullet weights running this same velocity with low es and sd .

Thing is , you can not start out with what you will eventually consider to be the " best caliber choice " because as your experience grows you wil have different ideas about what you want .

Jump in !! get your feet wet !! , then rue the day you ever laid eyes on this website !

I have looked at the .300 RUM but my only hesitation with it is too much power at closer that 1000 yd distances, for instance 300 to 500 yds, where there is a possibility of ruining good meat because of too much power at that close of range. For example on javelina, whitetail deer, and even antelope- animals which aren't that big bodied. I am wondering whether a 200gr. or even 220gr. handloaded round in a .300 Magnum would still be able to provide the necesssary power up to 1000 yds, yet still be able to be used for closer shots and not cause damage to the meat.

I have a 7mm RM that I have hunted with for many years. It's a great rifle and should be able to deliver deer and elk at 750 yds. Elk at 1000 yds would be a different story. I think it's a little light for that. I also just got a 300 WSM and it would be a marginal 1000 yd rifle. The 300 WM with a 26 or 27 inch barrel (talking sporter carry rifle) would be just a little better than the 300 WSM for down range delivery. The 300 RUM will deliver a 200 gr bullet down range at about the same vel a 300 WM will deliver a 180 gr bullet and you need to consider the terminal performance of the bullet which depends on velocity and bullet construction.

If you want more than a 750 yd capability, you are going to need velocity in these cartridges. So your concern about high velocity and meat damage apply to the 7mm and 300 WM also. Shot placement and bullet construction is key to not wasting meat. You want a bullet that stays intact such as an Accubond, E-Tip, TTSX, etc. If you shoot other than the boiler room, you're going to damage meat and if you use a fragmenting bullet you're going to damage more meat.

You can delvelop more than one load, but IMO it isn't necessary. Pick a good bullet. For a 1000 yd *hunting* bullet, I personally think a 180 gr is marginal and bare minimum which is what a 300 WM will get you. A 300 RUM will get you there with a 200 gr bullet.

If you don't have any plan to ever exceed 800 yds, go with the 300 WM. It's a great all around cartridge. My $.02

__________________
- Mark

You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you make good use of it.
~ John Quincy Adams

I lived and hunted in Az off of mules and horses for a long time. Can't even remember having to shoot over 400; horses and mules always spot game first.

Once you start that extreme long range shooting over 500, you really complicate your life. Even at 500, you have to know your equipment extremely well.

I hunted with a 7 Mag, 140g Ballistic tip and partition. Killed everything walking, one shot only; 400 was my longest shot on deer. Elk in Unit 6B were 200 yard shots. I shot pigs with 223 or 357 Mag, my horse always started snorting when we were close to pigs or bears; horse was my bird dog for pigs.

I hunt some fairly open country here in Co so my shots may be out to 500/700yd range so I might take the 300Wby or 300RUM for elk/deer and I think those calibers might be alittle overkill for antelope etc. I gave up long time ago trying to find the perfect caliber (one rifle) for all my hunting if I got drawn for a antelope tag this year I would of use the 270WSM. Just my .02